I Know
by Freelance7
Summary: Eren decides it's time for Annie to get help. Rated M for Strong Language and Drug Use


A/N: Based on a AU short fic request by ask-sane-belarus on tumblr. She is also a friend. Hope you enjoy!

"No...I-I-I-I don't want to do this, n-not anymore. I can't, I-I...I can't." The small blonde woman muttered, turning her back to her boyfriend and walking further into her dirty, messy house.

The taller brunette boy raised his eyebrows at seeing his girlfriend refusing to go at the last second, "But...Annie...hm...but it will be good for you. For us."

He could see Annie shaking her head, her messy bun swaying side to side, as she pulled a dirty old chair out from the table, the legs squeaking against the wooden floor of her apartment, and sitting down, "P-please…" She inhaled slowly with quivering breath, looking down at her white shoes. She sniffed, turning her head up to show her tears sliding down her cheeks, her eyes pleading to her boyfriend, "Please don't make me go, Eren, I don't. I don't want to go. I don't, please, just...don't." She said, sniffling.

Eren could see the pain and suffering course through her veins. What was strange was that her eyes were, in someway, telling him to make her go. But her body stayed put, crossing her arms and resting them on her knees. Her head turned down again, looking at the lines between the wooden planks of her floor, following them from left to right, right to left, left to right.

Eren pursed his lips and took a step past the threshold into her apartment, the weight of his body making the wooden floor creak. He closed the door behind himself before looking at the poor girl, "Annie, is there...something...that you are afraid of?" He asked, taking a few small steps forward.

Annie shook her head, "No...no...I am not scared...I am not scared of anything...I just...don't want to go."

Eren could tell she was lying. He took a few more steps forward. _She is trying to stay tough in some way, but...this addiction has crippled that to an all-time low. She is scared of something, I know it. I just need to break her walls...again...to get to her._

He took a few more steps forward, getting close to Annie. Annie noticed this and quickly stood up, twirling out of the way and into her bedroom, stumbling a bit as she tripped on an opened suitcase that contained her things, the one she would be taking with her.

She regained her footing, reaching to the left to placed her hand on a wooden old wardrobe to steady herself. The light from a nearby window shined upon her face, showing how distraught she has become.

She held her free hand out to him, signaling for him to stop, "Please, Eren...just stop...stop...please...I don't want to go."

Eren leaned against the doorframe to her bedroom, crossing his arms as he looked Annie up and down, "Annie...you're a mess. Ever since that crash, you became weaker. What happened to the strong young woman that I loved? Huh? What happened to her?"

Annie frowned at him, "I am still here, Eren. I am still strong. I am...I am…" She said, whispering the last part.

Eren scowled and advanced quickly on her, kicking the suitcase closed as he stepped over it. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her against the nearest wall. She screamed, grunting as she hit the wall. She looked up at Eren with wide eyes, this time looking scared. Very scared. Her breath had quickened, her pulse pounded through her body, her mouth hung open in surprise.

Eren inched his face closer towards hers. She saw this and turned her face to the side, so that she couldn't look at him. Eren narrowed his eyes and reached into her pocket, quickly pulling out something and stabbing it into the wall next to her, right in front of her eyes.

A syringe. The hypodermic needle was buried just enough into the wall to stay there when he let go of it. Some brown residue sat around in it.

Eren looked at Annie, her eyes sitting upon the syringe, tears beginning to fall out again as she turned to look at him.

Eren kept his face stone cold, pointing at the needle, "Then why...is that...still in your pocket. Hm?" He asked, quickly pushing his left forearm against her chest to hold her back as she began to struggle against him. His left hand grabbed her upper arm, using his right hand to grab the white pullover sleeve of her left arm. He pulled it up to expose her arm to the cold air.

Several small red puffy bumps were lined up along the veins of her arm. Annie was really pushing against him now, but she was too weak. He pulled her arm up by the wrist to show the marks to her.

"Why are these still appearing on your arm?" He asked, staring her straight in the eyes, with her blue orbs staring back into his green ones, "Is this what you call strong, Annie? Is it? Huh?!"

Annie began to open her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, tears coming down faster, her lips quivering like her voice, "I...I-I...I d-don't-"

"Tell me, Annie! Is this the bullshit strong people do?! Is this what you think strong women do?! Is it?! Tell me! Is it?!"

"No!" She shrieked, gaining the energy to push him back. But the power to do so left her feeling weak, so she leaned against the wall, sliding down until she was sitting down on her side, her hands outstretched to hold herself up as she began to cry, tears streaming down her face as she breathed heavily. Her body shook as she sobbed, her body wracked with fear and sadness.

Eren watched his girlfriend break down in front of him, his eyes setting sadly on her. He took a step forward and crouched down, feeling horrible for making this happen.

Soon she began to recover, breathing heavily and sniffling as she used her sleeve to wipe her tears and under her nose. She breathed sharply a few more times, her body convulsing with it, until she finally recovered enough to turn her head up, looking at her guilt-stricken boyfriend, his eyes pleading forgiveness. She wasn't going to give it to him. _Not yet._

She sniffed, "Is...is that what you wanted to hear? You wanted me to finally say I am weak and need someone to hold me? Is that what you want to...fucking hear?"

Eren glanced down at the ground, slowly shaking his head, "I...I didn't mean to be that violent. I am sorry, Annie. I know you don't need someone to hold you. You can take care of yourself. You are a strong woman, that's...that's why I love you. Well...one of the reasons why. But...ever since you got in that car accident, you have been getting weaker and weaker. You really got hooked to that morphine...and...I just hate seeing you like this. I want us to be happy, and live together in our own place. But...we need to do this first. It's been a few months since you got in that accident, a few months since the addiction took you. You can still get out of this, Annie. We just have to do this."

Annie glanced about her room as he spoke, looking down when he finished. She sniffed again, a fringe of her light blonde hair hanging from her head, dangling in front of her right eye. She inhaled before speaking, "I...I am scared, Eren...I am...I am scared of getting hooked again afterwards, I am scared of being away from you, I am scared of...of losing you…"

Eren cocked an eyebrow, reaching over to push the fringe of hair over her ear. He situated himself on his knees to reach with both hands. He cupped her cheeks gently, his thumbs wiping the straggler tears away, "I understand. I am scared too. But we can do this. I am strong...but you are stronger. If there is anyone who I believe can kick this addiction, it's you. I will visit every day, every day, multiple times." He gently pushed her head up to look at him, "Why would you lose me?"

Annie's sapphire eyes locked with Eren's emerald eyes, exchanging more information than any two people could, "Because...you might meet someone...who isn't in rehab...who isn't a drug addict...and find her to be better. She wouldn't be a...a burden."

Eren's eyes widened as he let go of her face to wrap his arms around her, pulling her in close to his body. Annie accepted the embrace, resting her head on his chest. He rested his head on top of her head, looking at the plain white wall behind her, "Listen, Annie. You are never a burden on me. We love each other, so we accept each other's struggles. There is no one, and I mean...no one that will ever be better than you. You are the woman of my dreams. Just remember, who took care of you when you were in the hospital, recovering from several broken bones after the accident?"

Annie turned her head to the side, listening to his heartbeat. She sniffed, "You…"

Eren nodded, "Who put up with your addiction when no one else wanted to deal with you?"

Annie closed her eyes, breathing heavily, "...You…"

Eren nodded again, "And who is going to drive you to rehab so that you and him can live a normal, healthy life?"

Annie opened her eyes, turning her head up at him. She reached up and cupped his cheeks, pulling him down into a kiss. Eren allowed it, pushing his lips into hers.

She pulled back, looking at Eren, she let go of his face and reached with one hand to caress his cheek, "...You…"

Eren nodded and smiled, looking over his shoulder at her room to see the suitcase she tripped on, full of her things. Everything she needed.

He let go of Annie and stood up, holding a hand out to her, "You ready?" He asked.

Annie, with red puffy eyes, glanced at his hand, then at him, before taking it and nodding, being pulled up to her feet, "Yes."

Eren nodded again and reached down to pick up her suitcase, gesturing for her to go first. She nodded and wiped her dry eyes before walking out, her boyfriend following from behind, closing the door as they exited.

Annie rested her right jawline on her right fist, which was resting on the inner door panel. Her eyes watched the buildings fly by as Eren was in the driver's seat, driving her out of town.

The buildings turned into trees as they were driving on the road up to the Maria Drug Rehabilitation Center. Eren had everything set up for Annie, so that she was welcomed as soon as she walked through the door.

For Annie, she was slightly scared. But Eren helped her. While he isn't the reason she is strong, he is the reason she got stronger. He backed her up in everything, refusing to let go if it didn't help her. This was one of those times, she thought to herself as she spotted the rehab center up ahead.

A beautiful, modern-looking building. One that looked like a good place to be. Annie felt more encouraged just looking at it.

Eren entered the parking lot, slowing down as he drove into a spot, stopping the car and putting it into park. He pulled out the key and took a deep breath, turning his head to look at Annie.

She had her head turned to look out the window at the center, the sun at just the right position to make it look like it was the safest of havens.

Eren reached over and tapped her shoulder. She gave a small jolt before looking over at him, her face blank before she smiled, nodding, "Let's go."

Eren nodded, "Alright." He said, getting out of the car, he walked around to open the passenger door for Annie. She hopped out and smiled again.

Eren smiled and opened the back door, reaching in and pulling out her bag. He closed the door, turning around to see Annie standing in front of him, her back turned to him, looking at the center.

Eren took a few steps forward until he was standing next to her. She glanced at him before glancing back. Eren smiled, looking at the center, when he felt something pat against his hip.

He looked down to see Annie looking up at him, her hand out for him to hold, smiling slightly. Eren smiled back and grabbed her hand, their fingers interlocking. She gripped tightly.

Eren began to walk towards the front door, Annie following after, "Remember, Annie, I will always be there. If you need me, just call. I believe in you." He said, looking at her, "You can beat this."

Annie didn't respond back. Eren slightly cocked his eyebrow before nodding, looking ahead.

As they just reached the front door, he heard her voice say,

_**"I know."**_

A/N: Thanks for reading!


End file.
